Long March | Rockets, Types, & Facts

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<div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Long-March-rocket-family">Long March</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <span class="toc-extra-link selected link-gray-900 mt-15"> Introduction </span> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Long-March-rocket-family/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/Long-March-rocket-family">Quick Facts & Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Long-March-rocket-family/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/159588-050-DA1766E9/Diagram-CZ-2F.jpg" data-href="/media/1/850055/187576" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/159588-004-37F229A0/Diagram-CZ-2F.jpg" alt="LM-2F" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button 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Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/quiz/all-about-astronomy" >All About Astronomy</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-related-questions"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 pb-0 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-15"> Related Questions </div> <ul> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/Is-mathematics-a-physical-science">Is mathematics a physical science?</a> </li> <li class="link-gray-900 mb-15"><a class="" href="/question/How-is-astronomy-different-from-cosmology">How is astronomy different from cosmology?</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/where-did-the-moon-come-from"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/26/157426-131-16C2E991/moon-Planet-Earth-space.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Planet Earth and lunar moon from space" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/where-did-the-moon-come-from" >Where Did the Moon Come From?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/timeline-of-the-space-race"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/58/206458-131-C9D611FE/space-race-1957-1969-timeline-USSR-USA.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Space race (1957-1969) infographic between United States (U.S.) and Russia. 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print-false" data-assembly-id="13684" data-asm-type="image"> <div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"> <a style="min-height: 160px;" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/159588-050-DA1766E9/Diagram-CZ-2F.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/850055/187576"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/159588-050-DA1766E9/Diagram-CZ-2F.jpg?w=300"> <img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/88/159588-050-DA1766E9/Diagram-CZ-2F.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="LM-2F" loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a 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Logsdon</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">John M. Logsdon is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs. He was a member of the NASA Advisory Council...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> John M. Logsdon</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-02-16T00:00:00CST" >Feb 16, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/Long-March-rocket-family/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Chinese: </dt> <dd>Chang Zheng</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/technology/launch-vehicle" topicid="332323">launch vehicle</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Long-March-rocket-family"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://spacenews.com/first-launch-of-long-march-8a-sends-second-group-of-guowang-megaconstellation-satellites-into-orbit/" rel="nofollow">First launch of Long March 8A sends second group of Guowang megaconstellation satellites into orbit</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Feb. 11, 2025, 4:28 AM ET (SpaceNews) </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref1024501"></span>Long March</strong>, family of Chinese <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/launch-vehicle" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">launch vehicles</a>. Like those of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Soviet-Union" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Soviet Union</a>, <span id="ref1117040"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/China" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">China</a>’s first launch vehicles were also based on <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="ballistic" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballistic" data-type="MW">ballistic</a> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/missile" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">missiles</a>. The Long March 1 (LM-1, or Chang Zheng 1) vehicle, which put China’s first <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/satellite" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">satellite</a> into orbit in 1970, was based on the Dong Feng 3 intermediate-range <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/ballistic-missile" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">ballistic missile</a>, and the Long March 2 family of launch vehicles, which has been used for roughly half of Chinese launches, was based on the Dong Feng 5 <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/ICBM" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">intercontinental ballistic missile</a> (ICBM). There are several models of the LM-2 vehicle, with different first stages and solid strap-ons; an LM-2F vehicle was used to launch the first Chinese <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/astronaut" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">astronaut</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yang-Liwei" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Yang Liwei</a>, into space in October 2003. There are also LM-3 and LM-4 launchers. The LM-3 is <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="optimized" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/optimized" data-type="EB">optimized</a> for launches to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/geostationary-orbit" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">geostationary orbit</a>, and the LM-4, first launched in 1988, uses hypergolic propellants rather than the conventional <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/kerosene" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">kerosene</a>–liquid <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/oxygen" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">oxygen</a> combination used in previous Long March variants.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">China has developed a second-generation family of launchers, identified as LM-5, LM-6, and LM-7, that are not based on an ICBM design. All three had their first flight in 2016. The LM-5 can launch payloads to geostationary orbit that are more than five times heavier than those carried by the LM-4. The LM-6 is designed to launch small payloads of about 1,000 kg (2,200 pounds) to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/low-Earth-orbit" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">low Earth orbit</a>. The LM-7 launched slightly smaller <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="payloads" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/payloads" data-type="EB">payloads</a> than those carried by the LM-5. Aside from this second-generation family, China has also built a small solid-fuel <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/rocket-jet-propulsion-device-and-vehicle" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">rocket</a>, the LM-11, which can be launched from either a floating barge or a mobile launcher and which had its first flight in 2015.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">China is developing two new Long March launch vehicles. The LM-8 has a central core with two solid-fueled boosters on the side and is scheduled to have its first flight in 2021. The first stage would return to Earth along with the boosters for future reuse. The LM-8 is designed to launch payloads of up to five tonnes to Sun-synchronous orbit (a special kind of polar orbit in which a satellite keeps the same position relative to the Sun so that it passes over a certain point at the same local time every day). The LM-9 will be a super-heavy-lift launch vehicle and China’s largest rocket ever. It is designed to lift payloads of 140 tonnes to Earth orbit and 44 tonnes to <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="Mars" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/Mars" data-type="EB">Mars</a>. Its first test launch is scheduled for 2030, and its mission is planned to be a Mars sample return probe.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/all-about-astronomy" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/54/102254-131-ED1A2CE1/Nicolaus-Copernicus.jpg" alt="Nicolaus Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus (1473-1543) Polish astronomer. In 1543 he published, forward proof of a Heliocentric (sun centered) universe. Coloured stipple engraving published London 1802. De revolutionibus orbium coelestium libri vi." class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">All About Astronomy</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/contributor/John-M-Logsdon/4864">John M. 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Long March | Rockets, Types, & Facts | Britannica